Top Workplaces: Bank Five Nine has deep roots in southeastern Wisconsin
nullIn 1859, Oregon became a state, Charles Dickens published "A Tale of Two Cities" and the chimes of Big Ben rang for the first time in London. It was also the year that Bank Five Nine opened its doors in Oconomowoc.
Still headquartered in Oconomowoc, Bank Five Nine has a long history of serving communities in southeastern Wisconsin. The company was previously known as First Bank Financial Centre until changing its name to Bank Five Nine in 2020. All the while, its mission has been to “Make Lives Better” both inside and outside the company.
“Through it all, we’ve stayed true to who we are; a locally-owned, community bank,” said Becky Miller, marketing manager at Bank Five Nine, in an email. “And we intend to stay that way, helping our local communities with their banking needs.”
The company placed ninth out of all midsize companies in this year’s Top Workplaces survey. Bank Five Nine has been on the list for 13 consecutive years — every year since the Journal Sentinel program began.
This year, the bank also won a special award for managers. Employees ranked Bank Five Nine’s management the highest out of all companies, describing managers as flexible, open to communication and action-oriented when it comes to employee’s concerns.
“I feel like I can ask questions when I need to,” one employee said. “I can learn from my mistakes without it being held against me in the future. I am encouraged to grow and learn.”
Another employee said their manager “trusts me to do what I have been trained to do, is available when I have questions, meets with me regularly to see what I am working on and how she can help.”
The bank has 14 locations in southeast Wisconsin and employs 340 people in the state. Employees have access to a variety of benefits, such as paid time off, 401(k) contributions and medical, dental and vision insurance. In addition, the company also offers training and mentoring opportunities, a discounts and services program and an employee wellness program.
Miller also mentioned CEO Mark Mohr’s open-door policy where employees are able to stop by his office with questions, concerns or just to say hi.
Mohr hosts a quarterly roundtable discussion with employees from around the organization to “gain insight as to how they see the organization and ideas for improvements or ways we have been successful,” Miller said.
Outside the workplace, Bank Five Nine regularly engages in community service initiatives. In 2021, employees collectively spent 6,800 hours volunteering at organizations. At the corporate level, the bank donated $240,000 to 128 local initiatives and organizations. They also won a Champion for Children Award from the Waukesha chapter of Blessings in a Backpack, which provides meals on weekends for school-age children in need.
Bank Five Nine is a top 30 Small Business Administration (SBA) lender in the country and No. 1 in Wisconsin, according to its website. Its Downtown Loan Pool program provides low-interest loans to local small businesses in each of the communities where branches are located.
Last year, the bank was honored by American Banker magazine on its annual Best Banks to Work For list. Locally, the Wisconsin Bankers Association awarded Bank Five Nine with the Financial Education Innovation Award for commitment to improving financial literacy.
“Our mission to Make Lives Better applies to our customers, communities and our employees,” Miller said. “It is a sincerely held belief that drives our employee benefits, continuing education efforts, additional training and career opportunities, and our daily interactions within the organization.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Top Workplaces: Bank Five Nine has been a Top Workplace for 13 years
